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Broiler
The troubles of two desperate families—one white, one Mexican American—converge in the ruthless underworld of an Arkansas chicken processing plant in this new thriller from the award-winning author of 'Don't Know Tough.'
Gabriela Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo are hardworking, undocumented employees at the Detmer Foods chicken plant in Springdale, Arkansas, just a stone’s throw from the trailer park where they’ve lived together for seven years. While dealing with personal tragedies of their own, the young couple endures the brutal, dehumanizing conditions at the plant in exchange for barebones pay.
When the plant manager, Luke Jackson, fires Edwin to set an example for the rest of the workers—and to show the higherups that he’s ready for a major promotion—Edwin is determined to get revenge on Luke and his wife, Mimi, a new mother who stays at home with her six-month-old son. Edwin’s impulsive action sets in motion a devastating chain of events that illuminates the deeply entrenched power dynamics between those who revel at the top and those who toil at the bottom.
From the nationally bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of 'Don’t Know Tough' and 'Ozark Dogs' comes another edge-of-your-seat noir thriller that exposes the dark, bloody heart of life on the margins in the American South and the bleak underside of a bygone American Dream.
Gabriela Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo are hardworking, undocumented employees at the Detmer Foods chicken plant in Springdale, Arkansas, just a stone’s throw from the trailer park where they’ve lived together for seven years. While dealing with personal tragedies of their own, the young couple endures the brutal, dehumanizing conditions at the plant in exchange for barebones pay.
When the plant manager, Luke Jackson, fires Edwin to set an example for the rest of the workers—and to show the higherups that he’s ready for a major promotion—Edwin is determined to get revenge on Luke and his wife, Mimi, a new mother who stays at home with her six-month-old son. Edwin’s impulsive action sets in motion a devastating chain of events that illuminates the deeply entrenched power dynamics between those who revel at the top and those who toil at the bottom.
From the nationally bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of 'Don’t Know Tough' and 'Ozark Dogs' comes another edge-of-your-seat noir thriller that exposes the dark, bloody heart of life on the margins in the American South and the bleak underside of a bygone American Dream.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2024
117 people are currently reading
7058 people want to read
About the author
Eli Cranor
18 books481 followersEli Cranor played quarterback at every level: peewee to professional, and then coached high school football for five years. These days, he's traded in the pigskin for a laptop, writing from Arkansas where he lives with his wife and kids.
Eli's novel Don't Know Tough was awarded the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and will be published by Soho Press in 2022. Over the course of his career, Eli's fiction has garnered multiple awards (2018-The Missouri Review; 2017-Greensboro Review). Along with fiction, Eli writes a nationally-syndicated sports column, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly over at CrimeReads. Eli is currently at work on his next novel.
Eli's novel Don't Know Tough was awarded the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and will be published by Soho Press in 2022. Over the course of his career, Eli's fiction has garnered multiple awards (2018-The Missouri Review; 2017-Greensboro Review). Along with fiction, Eli writes a nationally-syndicated sports column, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly over at CrimeReads. Eli is currently at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
July 18, 2024
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
My first impression was this is like Raising Arizona, only not funny, but this splendid novel deserves a better review than that.
A tense drama unfolds between the haves and have-nots at a chicken processing plant in Arkansas, in this, Cranor's third novel.
The author makes a good attempt at providing an even-handed look at the situation, though it's fairly easy to choose a side to root for. The female characters shine, and the dialogue is quite believable.
Well-paced and compelling, this is a fascinating and involving read.
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
My first impression was this is like Raising Arizona, only not funny, but this splendid novel deserves a better review than that.
A tense drama unfolds between the haves and have-nots at a chicken processing plant in Arkansas, in this, Cranor's third novel.
The author makes a good attempt at providing an even-handed look at the situation, though it's fairly easy to choose a side to root for. The female characters shine, and the dialogue is quite believable.
Well-paced and compelling, this is a fascinating and involving read.
August 22, 2024
Broiler got put on my radar thanks to my ever-lovin’ book pushin’ bestie. Turned out my library had no wait list but hers did so I actually got around to reading this one first. And normally I try to avoid friend’s reviews but it was hard to miss Melki’s shout-out to The Man in Black’s lyrics that had me intrigued before beginning this one so I did sneak a peak at hers. I’m 100% seconding that this was Raising Arizona, but a dark version.
The story here is about Gabby and Edwin – both undocumented persons who have worked at the local chicken processing plant since they were in high school for pay that’s barely enough to survive on and deplorable conditions that are absolutely abusive. When Edwin gets fired (for being two minutes late, but also for having a history with the plant manager as being a real “rabble rouser”), Edwin decides to take matters into his own hands and get the $50K in back-pay owed to him and Gabby.
While I don’t know if I would go so far as to label this “Steinbeckian” as the cover of my edition blurbed, this was a real page turner of a story of the haves and have nots. Recommended to those who like a little grit in their lit.
The story here is about Gabby and Edwin – both undocumented persons who have worked at the local chicken processing plant since they were in high school for pay that’s barely enough to survive on and deplorable conditions that are absolutely abusive. When Edwin gets fired (for being two minutes late, but also for having a history with the plant manager as being a real “rabble rouser”), Edwin decides to take matters into his own hands and get the $50K in back-pay owed to him and Gabby.
While I don’t know if I would go so far as to label this “Steinbeckian” as the cover of my edition blurbed, this was a real page turner of a story of the haves and have nots. Recommended to those who like a little grit in their lit.
July 11, 2024
I listened to the audio version which was very well read by Victoria Villareal. She had good definition between characters voices. Despite the often difficult subject matter she didn't become melodramatic and had a good even tone that was pleasant to listen to. I'd definitely listen to other books she narrates.
This book is definitely an exercise in trying to come to terms with what some members of society have to do to simply put food on the table every day.
The story involves two couples - Edwin Saucedo & Gabriela (Gabby) Menchaca and Luke & Amelia (Mimi) Jackson. Edwin and Gabby are undocumented employees working at a chicken processing plant in Arkansas. Luke is their manager and Mimi his stay at home wife who cares for their 6 month old son, Tucker (Tuck).
As the possibility of promotion looms Luke fires Edwin on a flimsy pretext in order to demonstrate his ability to command to those above him. For Edwin it is the final straw and he conceives a plan that will get both him and Gabby out from under the bosses and give them a decent life.
The actual plan itself is quite ridiculous and badly thought out but Gabby stands by her man whilst having the intelligence to make the best of a bad situation.
The book isn't just about how appallingly undocumented workers are treated - and I've read enough non fiction not to be surprised by the utterly inhuman conditions in the plant. It's also about the women's stories - how they are dominated by men who use force as their main driver. It's a good feminist novel as well as one that punctures the already damaged American dream. If anyone still believes that you can get on if you work hard then I'd advise them to read this book.
The characters of the two couples are polarised for sure but they make for a good story. Luke has absolutely no redeeming features and whilst the women come across as soft and biddable, they certainly show their mettle when required.
A good story with believable characters. The end was somewhat fantastical but I enjoyed it on the whole. I would definitely recommend it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.
This book is definitely an exercise in trying to come to terms with what some members of society have to do to simply put food on the table every day.
The story involves two couples - Edwin Saucedo & Gabriela (Gabby) Menchaca and Luke & Amelia (Mimi) Jackson. Edwin and Gabby are undocumented employees working at a chicken processing plant in Arkansas. Luke is their manager and Mimi his stay at home wife who cares for their 6 month old son, Tucker (Tuck).
As the possibility of promotion looms Luke fires Edwin on a flimsy pretext in order to demonstrate his ability to command to those above him. For Edwin it is the final straw and he conceives a plan that will get both him and Gabby out from under the bosses and give them a decent life.
The actual plan itself is quite ridiculous and badly thought out but Gabby stands by her man whilst having the intelligence to make the best of a bad situation.
The book isn't just about how appallingly undocumented workers are treated - and I've read enough non fiction not to be surprised by the utterly inhuman conditions in the plant. It's also about the women's stories - how they are dominated by men who use force as their main driver. It's a good feminist novel as well as one that punctures the already damaged American dream. If anyone still believes that you can get on if you work hard then I'd advise them to read this book.
The characters of the two couples are polarised for sure but they make for a good story. Luke has absolutely no redeeming features and whilst the women come across as soft and biddable, they certainly show their mettle when required.
A good story with believable characters. The end was somewhat fantastical but I enjoyed it on the whole. I would definitely recommend it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.
October 3, 2024
The stories Eli Cranor comes up with scratch a specific itch in my brain, this was so so good. I wasn't sure where it was going at first, but when that ball started rolling I was hooked.
The saddest part was learning about working conditions in chicken plants. It actually reminded me of something I heard about kiosks that don't provide workers with bathrooms, so they have to either run home (if they're lucky to live nearby), or ask a restaurant to use theirs (some owners will still say no), or straight up use a bucket...but the chicken plant workers can't even do any of that. It's inhumane, and I can't believe people are still treated like this in the 21st century.
Character wise, Mimi and Gabby really made this novel. The men however...let's not talk about them.
I liked the ending, and the overall plot. The narration was great too, I really love experiencing Cranor's worlds through audio. I still have yet to read Don't Know Tough, but you can be sure it'll also be as an audiobook!!
The saddest part was learning about working conditions in chicken plants. It actually reminded me of something I heard about kiosks that don't provide workers with bathrooms, so they have to either run home (if they're lucky to live nearby), or ask a restaurant to use theirs (some owners will still say no), or straight up use a bucket...but the chicken plant workers can't even do any of that. It's inhumane, and I can't believe people are still treated like this in the 21st century.
Character wise, Mimi and Gabby really made this novel. The men however...let's not talk about them.
I liked the ending, and the overall plot. The narration was great too, I really love experiencing Cranor's worlds through audio. I still have yet to read Don't Know Tough, but you can be sure it'll also be as an audiobook!!
March 22, 2024
Broiler- A chicken fit for broiling
Broilering also involves intense and oppressive heat being applied.
Cranor uses the title well to describe two important parts about this novel. First, it involves working with broiler chickens in a chicken plant. More importantly though it alludes to the intense heat or pressure that the characters in this novel find themselves throughout the novel.
Broiler focuses on 4 main characters Gabriela Menchaca, Edwin Saucedo, Mimi Jackson, and Luke Jackson.
Gabriela and her boyfriend, Edwin, both work for Luke Jackson inside his Detmer chicken plant. They are both undocumented workers brought in their childhood to America and find themselves simply trying to survive one more day, making just enough to continue to pretend that somehow their lives will get better. Gabriela has suffered a miscarriage due to the working conditions of her chicken plant. Unable to use the restroom for free of being fired she is either forced to wear diapers (yes this really happens in chicken plants) or not drinking. Garbriela and Edwin have also not been paid for the overtime they have been doing for years. Because they are undocumented their bosses take advantage of them and abuse them without remorse or interest.
Meanwhile Mimi Jackson seems to have it all. Married to the very successful and handsome Luke Jackson and with a wonderful baby boy named Tucker. However, Mimi is going through her own problems with postpartum complications and finds herself not only worrying about what might happen to her son but what she might do.
Luke is a man who thinks that he must seem one thing even if he feels like something else. He is a walking example of what toxic masculinity can turn a person into. He thinks that by imitating his own absent and distant father he is continuing on some great tradition.
Luke, wanting to look good to his higher ups, fires Edwin in order to look good in front of his bosses. Edwin is left more broken than ever and unable to process his grief, loss, and own personal failures. Unbeknownst to Luke as Edwin leaves work that day he runs into Mimi and their son Tuck. This will eventually lead Edwin thinking the only way to regain all that he has lost is to kidnap Tuck.
From there the story spirals into all of the repercussions of the different characters' choices coming back to roost. A truly pulse pounding last few chapters that lead to a conclusion that you might not expect to see.
Cranor has proven again that he is one of the greatest new crime fiction storytellers. His name belongs up there with S.A. Cosby in the voices of Southern crime fiction. His style permeates with the dark grittiness that his stories and characters demand. The characters in his novels read like real people with their own positive characteristics as well as the very real negatives that exist. Having lived in Arkansas and having family there I can say that Cranor is speaking with the voices of the very real people who live there. The chicken plant might be called Detmer but we all know it’s a Tyson. My grandmother worked in Tyson on the lines and the treatment of the workers during her time and how they are still treated is still far too similar. Cranor truly knows how to tap into the issues and voices of the people.
Broilering also involves intense and oppressive heat being applied.
Cranor uses the title well to describe two important parts about this novel. First, it involves working with broiler chickens in a chicken plant. More importantly though it alludes to the intense heat or pressure that the characters in this novel find themselves throughout the novel.
Broiler focuses on 4 main characters Gabriela Menchaca, Edwin Saucedo, Mimi Jackson, and Luke Jackson.
Gabriela and her boyfriend, Edwin, both work for Luke Jackson inside his Detmer chicken plant. They are both undocumented workers brought in their childhood to America and find themselves simply trying to survive one more day, making just enough to continue to pretend that somehow their lives will get better. Gabriela has suffered a miscarriage due to the working conditions of her chicken plant. Unable to use the restroom for free of being fired she is either forced to wear diapers (yes this really happens in chicken plants) or not drinking. Garbriela and Edwin have also not been paid for the overtime they have been doing for years. Because they are undocumented their bosses take advantage of them and abuse them without remorse or interest.
Meanwhile Mimi Jackson seems to have it all. Married to the very successful and handsome Luke Jackson and with a wonderful baby boy named Tucker. However, Mimi is going through her own problems with postpartum complications and finds herself not only worrying about what might happen to her son but what she might do.
Luke is a man who thinks that he must seem one thing even if he feels like something else. He is a walking example of what toxic masculinity can turn a person into. He thinks that by imitating his own absent and distant father he is continuing on some great tradition.
Luke, wanting to look good to his higher ups, fires Edwin in order to look good in front of his bosses. Edwin is left more broken than ever and unable to process his grief, loss, and own personal failures. Unbeknownst to Luke as Edwin leaves work that day he runs into Mimi and their son Tuck. This will eventually lead Edwin thinking the only way to regain all that he has lost is to kidnap Tuck.
From there the story spirals into all of the repercussions of the different characters' choices coming back to roost. A truly pulse pounding last few chapters that lead to a conclusion that you might not expect to see.
Cranor has proven again that he is one of the greatest new crime fiction storytellers. His name belongs up there with S.A. Cosby in the voices of Southern crime fiction. His style permeates with the dark grittiness that his stories and characters demand. The characters in his novels read like real people with their own positive characteristics as well as the very real negatives that exist. Having lived in Arkansas and having family there I can say that Cranor is speaking with the voices of the very real people who live there. The chicken plant might be called Detmer but we all know it’s a Tyson. My grandmother worked in Tyson on the lines and the treatment of the workers during her time and how they are still treated is still far too similar. Cranor truly knows how to tap into the issues and voices of the people.
July 3, 2024
This story about the life of undocumented immigrant workers at an Arkansas chicken processing plant was absolutely riveting and harrowing. With unforgettable characters, this new to me author does such a great job showing how hard the life of these workers is, the terrible factory conditions they have no choice but to accept and the intersections between class, race and ambition that drives people to endure the unthinkable in order to pursue their dreams. Great on audio and highly recommended! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 10, 2024
Eli Cranor made his debut in 2022 as a fresh original voice. There were places Don't Know Tough read like the first novel it was. But it was a stunning debut and deservingly won an Edgar Award.
Come 2023, Ozark Dogs showed a greatly matured author. The second book was a huge leap from the first. Just amazing to witness.
But sadly, Broiler is a significant step back.
One thing I really liked about Cranor was he wrote about people other writers ignored.
The book focuses on two couples, Luke and Mimi, and Edwin and Gabby. None of these four is a realized character. They are caricatures through and through.
The first fifty or so pages are an extreme bore. But once the story kicks into gear, pretty much everything that happens is not believable.
Cranor has no understanding of how large corporations conduct business. Someone was driven by his emotions as Luke is would not be in a corporate position such as he has, let alone be up for consideration for promotion to a corporate officer.
No corporation the size we are to believe Detmer to be would leave the management of each plant to the whims of the plant manager. There would be detailed guidelines for each step of the process, approved by corporate legal.
If Cranor ever met people like Luke and Mimi he has no insights into what motivates them or what they value. And he does not understand Edwin and Gabby much better.
The best crime fiction are direct commentary on societal issues. Mankell, Nesser, Indridason, Sjowall and Wahloo, Rankin. And on and on. They all have things to say about the human condition, they have pithy commentary on major social issues. And they deliver the message with subtlety and artistry (okay, maybe not the last two Sjowall and Wahloo books).
All of that escapes Cranor. He has a point he wants to make and he pounds you with it over and over, even getting a little jab at the end that "Every fortune, even a small one, is built on the back of some great sin."
Cranor is a very good writer and I am curious as to where he goes next.
This book is faculty lounge discussion material. We would all be better served had it stay there.
Come 2023, Ozark Dogs showed a greatly matured author. The second book was a huge leap from the first. Just amazing to witness.
But sadly, Broiler is a significant step back.
One thing I really liked about Cranor was he wrote about people other writers ignored.
The book focuses on two couples, Luke and Mimi, and Edwin and Gabby. None of these four is a realized character. They are caricatures through and through.
The first fifty or so pages are an extreme bore. But once the story kicks into gear, pretty much everything that happens is not believable.
Cranor has no understanding of how large corporations conduct business. Someone was driven by his emotions as Luke is would not be in a corporate position such as he has, let alone be up for consideration for promotion to a corporate officer.
No corporation the size we are to believe Detmer to be would leave the management of each plant to the whims of the plant manager. There would be detailed guidelines for each step of the process, approved by corporate legal.
If Cranor ever met people like Luke and Mimi he has no insights into what motivates them or what they value. And he does not understand Edwin and Gabby much better.
The best crime fiction are direct commentary on societal issues. Mankell, Nesser, Indridason, Sjowall and Wahloo, Rankin. And on and on. They all have things to say about the human condition, they have pithy commentary on major social issues. And they deliver the message with subtlety and artistry (okay, maybe not the last two Sjowall and Wahloo books).
All of that escapes Cranor. He has a point he wants to make and he pounds you with it over and over, even getting a little jab at the end that "Every fortune, even a small one, is built on the back of some great sin."
Cranor is a very good writer and I am curious as to where he goes next.
This book is faculty lounge discussion material. We would all be better served had it stay there.
October 1, 2024
This book is AMAZING!!! All you thriller lovers out there-highly highly recommend!!
June 7, 2024
As a fellow Arkansan, I was immediately drawn into this novel due to the location and subject matter that are the backdrop for this stellar work. Chicken processing plants are the norm in Northwest Arkansas and the reality is that immigrants, legal or not, are the primary employees of the plants. Cranor has created a collision of the "Haves" and the "Have Nots".
Plant Manager Luke Jackson had a strident upbringing in Arkadelphia. He has a rigid idea of what success looks like. He married the "perfect" wife, Mimi, that he met at the University of Arkansas. Currently, she is a stay-at-home Mom with their five-month-old son who is struggling with post-Partum depression. As the novel begins, she is attempting to reach out and establish a group of supportive friends similar to her situation.
Gabby is an illegal Mexican-American who works at the plant. She was a successful student in high school on her way to college until her family decides to return to Mexico and so she must work to support herself if she is to remain living in the area. She is living with Edwin, who due to circumstances and lack of ambition, also works at the Chicken Processing plant on an opposite shift from her.
As the story begins, Cranor has provided rich details about these characters and the reader clearly understands the characters' motivations once the incident occurs that establishes this thriller. Without wanting to share too much, this novel captured my interest and held it. In the first part of the novel. I thought the focus would be on the male characters, but was pleased that the characters who drive the story are Mimi and Gabby. This novel will be my recommendation for my Book Club for the Summer. There are so many rich details to discuss.
Thank you to Soho Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the arc in return for an honest review.
Plant Manager Luke Jackson had a strident upbringing in Arkadelphia. He has a rigid idea of what success looks like. He married the "perfect" wife, Mimi, that he met at the University of Arkansas. Currently, she is a stay-at-home Mom with their five-month-old son who is struggling with post-Partum depression. As the novel begins, she is attempting to reach out and establish a group of supportive friends similar to her situation.
Gabby is an illegal Mexican-American who works at the plant. She was a successful student in high school on her way to college until her family decides to return to Mexico and so she must work to support herself if she is to remain living in the area. She is living with Edwin, who due to circumstances and lack of ambition, also works at the Chicken Processing plant on an opposite shift from her.
As the story begins, Cranor has provided rich details about these characters and the reader clearly understands the characters' motivations once the incident occurs that establishes this thriller. Without wanting to share too much, this novel captured my interest and held it. In the first part of the novel. I thought the focus would be on the male characters, but was pleased that the characters who drive the story are Mimi and Gabby. This novel will be my recommendation for my Book Club for the Summer. There are so many rich details to discuss.
Thank you to Soho Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the arc in return for an honest review.
May 18, 2024
One of the best books of any genre I’ve read in long time. Eli Cranor writes books that has action which will leave you on the edge of your seat, cliffhangers that will have you second guessing characters, but he also writes atmospheric, character driven novels that will have you wanting to know the people he writes about and just stay in their world a little while
BROILED is a story about power, corruption, friendship and motherhood. Cranor presents these characters to the reader in such a way that they infiltrate your mind and soul. Like with his other two novels, I coukdnt stop reading. Beautifully written.
BROILED is a story about power, corruption, friendship and motherhood. Cranor presents these characters to the reader in such a way that they infiltrate your mind and soul. Like with his other two novels, I coukdnt stop reading. Beautifully written.
August 13, 2024
I received an eARC from NetGalley and RB Media. Thank you for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook , narrated, very well, by Victoria Villarreal.
I am a big fan of the author. This is the third novel I have read of his and my favorite. Chicken plants are prominent in Arkansas so this was the perfect setting for this thriller. The author always makes his characters morally gray and this was no exception. I don’t think anyone was upstanding 100% except maybe for the Tía.
If I was involved in something like this my first move would be calling the police, but if they did that we wouldn’t have this story. This book was a little bittersweet. The characters weren’t really lovable, just a sad lot, but it didn’t deter me from loving the novel.
I am a big fan of the author. This is the third novel I have read of his and my favorite. Chicken plants are prominent in Arkansas so this was the perfect setting for this thriller. The author always makes his characters morally gray and this was no exception. I don’t think anyone was upstanding 100% except maybe for the Tía.
If I was involved in something like this my first move would be calling the police, but if they did that we wouldn’t have this story. This book was a little bittersweet. The characters weren’t really lovable, just a sad lot, but it didn’t deter me from loving the novel.
February 16, 2025
"For every American dream there is a corresponding nightmare. Every fortune, even a small one, is built on the back of some great sin."
August 5, 2024
Plot driven book but author is gentle and convincing to reveal some real-life issues. He presents them in a way that the reader cannot ignore. My first book by this author but certainly not my last.
July 31, 2024
Another 5 star for Eli Cranor - Broiler was excellent!
July 7, 2024
Eli Cranor has written a powerful and disturbing novel about the horrid conditions facing workers in a broiler chicken plant. Many of the workers are undocumented Mexicans. They are not allowed bathroom breaks during their 10 hour shifts so many of them come to work wearing adult diapers. The plant is kept at 40 degrees fahrenheit to prevent the spread of bacteria and the workers have to bundle up in order to retain their body warmth.
Gabby and Edwin are a couple who met in highschool and have been working at the Detmer Chicken Plant for seven years. Gabby's hands and knuckles are deformed from the repetitive work she does. Edwin is angry and has tried, on occasion, to report the factory's abuses to the appropriate people. It has been to no avail.
Originally, Gabby and Edwin had a dream that would release them from their jobs of virtual servitude. However, things happen in life and what started with hope, turned to tragedy.
The plant's manager. Luke Jackson, will do anything he possibly can to get a promotion. Whether his choices are detrimental to the workers or not, does not matter to him. What matters to him is that his plant can pass inspection and he can get a promotion.
Mimi Jackson, Luke's wife, is the mother of 6 month old Tuck. She is finding motherhood difficult and Tuck screams a lot. He has reflux and appears to be a colicky baby. She reaches out to other mothers whose husband work at the plant, hoping to start a support group.
This novel is very well-written and has many twists and turns. The characterizations are excellent and I felt like I got to know each protagonist very well. This narrative reminded me a bit of Upton Sinclair's iconic work 'The Jungle". Both point to the hideous condition of those who labor in meat packing plants. Read it and weep.
Gabby and Edwin are a couple who met in highschool and have been working at the Detmer Chicken Plant for seven years. Gabby's hands and knuckles are deformed from the repetitive work she does. Edwin is angry and has tried, on occasion, to report the factory's abuses to the appropriate people. It has been to no avail.
Originally, Gabby and Edwin had a dream that would release them from their jobs of virtual servitude. However, things happen in life and what started with hope, turned to tragedy.
The plant's manager. Luke Jackson, will do anything he possibly can to get a promotion. Whether his choices are detrimental to the workers or not, does not matter to him. What matters to him is that his plant can pass inspection and he can get a promotion.
Mimi Jackson, Luke's wife, is the mother of 6 month old Tuck. She is finding motherhood difficult and Tuck screams a lot. He has reflux and appears to be a colicky baby. She reaches out to other mothers whose husband work at the plant, hoping to start a support group.
This novel is very well-written and has many twists and turns. The characterizations are excellent and I felt like I got to know each protagonist very well. This narrative reminded me a bit of Upton Sinclair's iconic work 'The Jungle". Both point to the hideous condition of those who labor in meat packing plants. Read it and weep.
November 4, 2024
Vengeance leads to self-destruction.
April 10, 2024
I loved Eli Cranor's first book - Don't Know Tough - so when I saw that he had another one coming out I immediately jumped on it.
Broiler follows four people - Luke and Mimi Jackson, a couple of new parents - Mimi a stay-at home mom and Luke a manager at a chicken processing plant, and Gabriela Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo, an undocumented couple who work for Luke in deplorable conditions for the employees. When Luke fires Edwin, it sets off a chain of events that deeply affect both couples.
I really loved this book. It really shows you the disparities between different "classes" (for lack of a better term). I especially loved the women in this book, and the ending was perfect.
Broiler follows four people - Luke and Mimi Jackson, a couple of new parents - Mimi a stay-at home mom and Luke a manager at a chicken processing plant, and Gabriela Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo, an undocumented couple who work for Luke in deplorable conditions for the employees. When Luke fires Edwin, it sets off a chain of events that deeply affect both couples.
I really loved this book. It really shows you the disparities between different "classes" (for lack of a better term). I especially loved the women in this book, and the ending was perfect.
December 23, 2024
I liked this book very much. The details of working in a chicken processing plant will put me off chicken for a while. It also makes me think of the desperate people who work there day after day just to have a job and a dream to stay in America. Desperate people do desperate things and these characters are all desperate in one way or another. The story is bleak and totally enjoyable. Characters are presented in full and an affinity is formed with the characters on both sides of the cultural divide.
July 16, 2024
"Broiler" by Eli Cranor is a thriller, but it is much more, too. It is about the difference between undocumented immigrants and white people who run the jobs that hire but also oppress those workers.
Gabriella and Edwin are a couple, and both are undocumented immigrants who work at a chicken broiler factory. Luke is the boss at this factory. He has a wife named Mimi and a son named Tuck. One day, Edwin is 2 minutes late for work, and Luke fires him to impress the inspectors. Edwin loses his mind and decides to kidnap the boss's baby and hold him for ransom.
Ok, so I didn't like this book at all. I'll tell you why. None of the characters are likable. Nope, not even the baby. I couldn't relate to any of them.
The setting of the chicken broiler factory is horrifying. The workers do one task over and over, ripping apart the chickens for hours. It is gross, and it is mind-numbing work. The immigrant workers are not even allowed to use the bathroom, and they do not get any break, though they are supposed to. I'm hesitant to eat chicken again.
The narrator, Victoria Villarreal, read this story like a textbook. It could have been so much better.
The end of the book was exciting. Yes, this is when you get the most thriller part. I don't want to spoil it, though. You'll just have to read it if you want to know. Other reviewers liked this book much more than I did, so read some of those, too.
Characters - 3/5
Writing - 3/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 1/5
Narration - 2/5
Cover - 2/5
Overall - 20/8 = 2 4/8 rounded up to 3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, and Eli Cranor for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Gabriella and Edwin are a couple, and both are undocumented immigrants who work at a chicken broiler factory. Luke is the boss at this factory. He has a wife named Mimi and a son named Tuck. One day, Edwin is 2 minutes late for work, and Luke fires him to impress the inspectors. Edwin loses his mind and decides to kidnap the boss's baby and hold him for ransom.
Ok, so I didn't like this book at all. I'll tell you why. None of the characters are likable. Nope, not even the baby. I couldn't relate to any of them.
The setting of the chicken broiler factory is horrifying. The workers do one task over and over, ripping apart the chickens for hours. It is gross, and it is mind-numbing work. The immigrant workers are not even allowed to use the bathroom, and they do not get any break, though they are supposed to. I'm hesitant to eat chicken again.
The narrator, Victoria Villarreal, read this story like a textbook. It could have been so much better.
The end of the book was exciting. Yes, this is when you get the most thriller part. I don't want to spoil it, though. You'll just have to read it if you want to know. Other reviewers liked this book much more than I did, so read some of those, too.
Characters - 3/5
Writing - 3/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 1/5
Narration - 2/5
Cover - 2/5
Overall - 20/8 = 2 4/8 rounded up to 3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, and Eli Cranor for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
August 14, 2024
Not as good as the first two. Tough topics.
December 25, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
August 26, 2024
4.5 Enjoyed this muchly!
July 18, 2024
I was hoping this would be more than it was but that’s on me. It was a decent thriller and listen but I didn’t love it. I did love the ending. The narrator was just ok but she’s not one I’ll search out for more books she narrates.
I was truly saddened and disgusted by the treatment of the workers in the chicken plant and I’m sure that really happens in real life but it shouldn’t. I’m sure one point if this book was to show how brown people are treated compared to white and it did a great job of that.
**Thanks to the author and publisher for the audiobook I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.**
I was truly saddened and disgusted by the treatment of the workers in the chicken plant and I’m sure that really happens in real life but it shouldn’t. I’m sure one point if this book was to show how brown people are treated compared to white and it did a great job of that.
**Thanks to the author and publisher for the audiobook I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.**
March 30, 2025
3.75 stars
Eli Cranor specializes in writing novels about the working class, so we’re back in familiar territory here. We’re in a small town in Arkansas where the principal industry is the raising and processing (slaughter) of chickens. The plant manager is ruthlessly ambitious, driving his employees to process ever larger numbers of birds in service of his intention to be promoted up the ladder. And the plant is an absolute hellscape that drives the workers to their physical breaking point: 10 hours on their feet, endlessly repeating the same motion, no bathroom breaks allowed, so they work in diapers or piss in their clothes where they stand and continue working. The focus is on two couples: a young Mexican man and woman, undocumented even though they’ve been in the States since they were infants, working at the plant for subsistence wages for nine years now, living in a trailer park, trying to save and get ahead, but with no real hope of making it; and the plant manager and his wife, parents of a six-month-old boy, living in a large, well-appointed house, with fancy vehicles, etc., etc., with a large debt burden, of course. These two very different worlds clash after a triggering event at the plant, and the tension builds until everything erupts into shocking violence.
Eli Cranor specializes in writing novels about the working class, so we’re back in familiar territory here. We’re in a small town in Arkansas where the principal industry is the raising and processing (slaughter) of chickens. The plant manager is ruthlessly ambitious, driving his employees to process ever larger numbers of birds in service of his intention to be promoted up the ladder. And the plant is an absolute hellscape that drives the workers to their physical breaking point: 10 hours on their feet, endlessly repeating the same motion, no bathroom breaks allowed, so they work in diapers or piss in their clothes where they stand and continue working. The focus is on two couples: a young Mexican man and woman, undocumented even though they’ve been in the States since they were infants, working at the plant for subsistence wages for nine years now, living in a trailer park, trying to save and get ahead, but with no real hope of making it; and the plant manager and his wife, parents of a six-month-old boy, living in a large, well-appointed house, with fancy vehicles, etc., etc., with a large debt burden, of course. These two very different worlds clash after a triggering event at the plant, and the tension builds until everything erupts into shocking violence.
January 19, 2025
I am obsessed that this book takes place in my hometown and I enjoyed all of the Springdale references! This book was gritty, a good reflection on the “American Dream” and a great novel for strong, women leads.
August 1, 2024
I didn't have any expectations before I started the book, but somehow I feel like it fell short. There was no depth to any of the characters--I didn't really connect with any of them. The ending wasn't a shock either, so if you are expecting some twisty ending, you'll be disappointed. I don't know, it just felt 'meh' to me.
July 19, 2024
A disappointing follow-up to ‘Don’t Know Tough’ and ‘Ozark Dogs’.
Men = Bad, Woman = Good is the message. That’s about it really. Lacking any subtlety or depth.
Hopefully Cranor’s next effort has the nuanced characters and plot of his previous works.
Men = Bad, Woman = Good is the message. That’s about it really. Lacking any subtlety or depth.
Hopefully Cranor’s next effort has the nuanced characters and plot of his previous works.
July 13, 2024
I have seen Eli Cranor’s work referred to as ‘redneck noir.’ While I understand the reference, I feel that tag to be rather limiting in the face of what he has accomplished as a writer. Writing from the banks of Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas, Cranor has found much success creating fiction that is true to his environment but also elevates it in the process.
BROILER is his third novel and it definitely hits all the criteria one might expect from classic noir. The setting, however, is one where you might not expect such a novel to spring out of. The central location in BROILER is the Detmer Food chicken plant in Springdale, Arkansas. The term ‘broiler’ is the name given to the primary type of chicken that is slaughtered and mass processed for public consumption at this plant.
The treatment of the chicken’s is something for another story. BROILER focuses more on the inhumane treatment of many of the workers at this plant, especially the minority employees. Plant Manager, Luke Jackson, is all about hitting the numbers and high demands that have set for him by way of corporate expectations with an end goal of being promoted within Detmer. He has a wife named Mimi and a newborn son, but Luke still finds time to sleep with several of the local women and co-workers at his plant.
Representing the other side in this equation are a young Mexican couple, Edwin and Gabrila , who are undocumented but extremely hard-working and exploited at the same time. They have grown up in this town and the idea of working at Detmer at one time seemed like a dream to them and a way out of the small trailer they live in that sits in a dusty old trailer park. They are owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid overtime and often mistreated while at work. Things have gotten so bad that during the typical ten hour shift they work they rarely get a chance to use the restroom or even get a break. They have resorted to sharing a pair of adult diapers to get them through their work shifts.
One day, Edwin shows up a couple of minutes late to work while Luke is holding an employee meeting and the Plant Manager chooses to make an example out of him. Luke promptly fires Edwin, who had worked there for years, because he saw him as a troublemaker who might continue to talk up the suggestion of unionizing the employees at Detmer. That knee-jerk action prompts a similar one from Edwin who proceeds to kidnap Luke and Mimi’s six-month-old son and hold him for ransom.
When Edwin informs Gabrieal of this, she is shocked and appalled. More so, she fears her husband will get them both locked up. She goes in for her next shift so as to show no guilt and while there gets into a verbal altercation with her supervisor over not being able to take a bathroom break. Luke notices this commotion and calls Gabriela to his office. He quickly puts together her relationship to Edwin, who had recently phoned Luke demanding a 50K ransom for the return of his son. Luke decides to hold Gabriela captive and plans an exchange with Edwin. He ties her up and brings her to his home where Mimi is horrified to witness what is taking place.
Edwin, not knowing how to care for an infant, runs into a no-good cousin of his named Chito who quickly figures out what Edwin has done and decides to help him with the kidnapping and safe return of both baby and Gabriela. Of course, things like this never go the way anyone originally thought and keeping true to the noir construct of the story leads towards a finale that is destined for tragedy.
BROILER is a starkly real novel with characters who breathe and practically leap off of the page. It is so easy for readers to quickly lend their compassion to both Edwin, Gabriela, and Mimi --- three characters who are all victims of their current circumstances where a happy ending for each is all but impossible. A fine piece of American Southern literary fiction.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
BROILER is his third novel and it definitely hits all the criteria one might expect from classic noir. The setting, however, is one where you might not expect such a novel to spring out of. The central location in BROILER is the Detmer Food chicken plant in Springdale, Arkansas. The term ‘broiler’ is the name given to the primary type of chicken that is slaughtered and mass processed for public consumption at this plant.
The treatment of the chicken’s is something for another story. BROILER focuses more on the inhumane treatment of many of the workers at this plant, especially the minority employees. Plant Manager, Luke Jackson, is all about hitting the numbers and high demands that have set for him by way of corporate expectations with an end goal of being promoted within Detmer. He has a wife named Mimi and a newborn son, but Luke still finds time to sleep with several of the local women and co-workers at his plant.
Representing the other side in this equation are a young Mexican couple, Edwin and Gabrila , who are undocumented but extremely hard-working and exploited at the same time. They have grown up in this town and the idea of working at Detmer at one time seemed like a dream to them and a way out of the small trailer they live in that sits in a dusty old trailer park. They are owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid overtime and often mistreated while at work. Things have gotten so bad that during the typical ten hour shift they work they rarely get a chance to use the restroom or even get a break. They have resorted to sharing a pair of adult diapers to get them through their work shifts.
One day, Edwin shows up a couple of minutes late to work while Luke is holding an employee meeting and the Plant Manager chooses to make an example out of him. Luke promptly fires Edwin, who had worked there for years, because he saw him as a troublemaker who might continue to talk up the suggestion of unionizing the employees at Detmer. That knee-jerk action prompts a similar one from Edwin who proceeds to kidnap Luke and Mimi’s six-month-old son and hold him for ransom.
When Edwin informs Gabrieal of this, she is shocked and appalled. More so, she fears her husband will get them both locked up. She goes in for her next shift so as to show no guilt and while there gets into a verbal altercation with her supervisor over not being able to take a bathroom break. Luke notices this commotion and calls Gabriela to his office. He quickly puts together her relationship to Edwin, who had recently phoned Luke demanding a 50K ransom for the return of his son. Luke decides to hold Gabriela captive and plans an exchange with Edwin. He ties her up and brings her to his home where Mimi is horrified to witness what is taking place.
Edwin, not knowing how to care for an infant, runs into a no-good cousin of his named Chito who quickly figures out what Edwin has done and decides to help him with the kidnapping and safe return of both baby and Gabriela. Of course, things like this never go the way anyone originally thought and keeping true to the noir construct of the story leads towards a finale that is destined for tragedy.
BROILER is a starkly real novel with characters who breathe and practically leap off of the page. It is so easy for readers to quickly lend their compassion to both Edwin, Gabriela, and Mimi --- three characters who are all victims of their current circumstances where a happy ending for each is all but impossible. A fine piece of American Southern literary fiction.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
August 9, 2024
Broiler de Eli Cranor es un libro que nos cuenta una serie de delitos que van escalando conforme pasan los capítulos. El tema central es el secuestro de un bebé. Un empleado mexicano intenta cobrar dinero por este secuestro. Aún así la situación más sangrienta ocurre cuando se describe el desplume de los pollos en la granja.
Todo gira alrededor del secuestro orquestado por un empleado de la planta de procesamiento de pollos de Arkansas. Esto pone en alerta a varios personajes, desde la pareja del secuestrador hasta los padres afectados. El padre del niño es quien maneja el negocio de la granja, lo interesante es que no se siente empatía por él desde un principio, ya que es el clásico jefe tirano y abusón. Una persona que ofrece a sus empleados unas horribles condiciones laborales, sólo para enriquecerse más.
Algunos de los personajes provienen de México, como es el caso de Gabriela Menchaca, una chica especializada en desplumar pollos. Un trabajo mentalmente agotador por la crueldad del mismo.
Ella y su novio Edwin Saucedo, deben 3 meses de su alquiler en un parque de caravanas. Ambos trabajan en Detmer Foods y les deben 50.000 dólares, pero Gaby no cree que los podrá recibir. En el trabajo ni siquiera le permitían ir al baño y no podía tomar agua, esto hizo que perdiera un bebé.
Una vez Edwin se presentó 2 minutos tardes en el trabajo y fue despedido por el jefe tirano: Luke Jackson. Edwin es el secuestrador de Tucker, un bebé de 6 meses del gerente de la planta.
Edwin exige un rescate de 50.000 dólares por devolverlo sano y salvo. Le explica a Jackson que no podrá llamar a la policía, de lo contrario no responde por sus actos.
Luke tiene miedo de que las cosas escalan entonces no acude a la policía. Además tiene miedo de perder su ascenso a director ejecutivo. Pero le confiesa a su esposa Mimi lo sucedido. Ella está segura que el hombre que ha despedido es la mente detrás del secuestro.
Aunque la historia comienza muy fuerte, se desinfla un poco al final. Ya que Mimi se entera de la infidelidad de su esposo. Mimi y Gabriela se unen al enterarse que ambas han sido víctimas de los hombres que aman. Quizás este sería un mensaje feminista que podría mosquear a más de uno, en donde las chicas parecen las buenas y los hombres los tiranos.
Los personajes son muy similares a los clichés del género. El inmigrante que no tiene nada y que hace lo posible por sobrevivir, incluso si esto es ilegal. La chica mexicana abusada por ese patriarcado tan marcado de una sociedad podrida. La esposa que descubre la infidelidad.
En general es un libro entretenido, y la historia engancha al principio. Pero como dije anteriormente el final es un poco forzado. Quizás el autor quiso proyectar la duda del bien y el mal en un mundo real, donde no todo es blanco y negro. Aún así me parece un 3/5 porque en ningún momento me sentí abrumado y la forma de narrar es bastante sencilla y agradable. Muchas menciones a Johnny Cash y su canción Ring of Fire. Esto ambienta bastante el panorama.
Una frase muy de izquierda:"Toda fortuna, incluso una pequeña, se construye sobre la base de algún gran pecado".
Todo gira alrededor del secuestro orquestado por un empleado de la planta de procesamiento de pollos de Arkansas. Esto pone en alerta a varios personajes, desde la pareja del secuestrador hasta los padres afectados. El padre del niño es quien maneja el negocio de la granja, lo interesante es que no se siente empatía por él desde un principio, ya que es el clásico jefe tirano y abusón. Una persona que ofrece a sus empleados unas horribles condiciones laborales, sólo para enriquecerse más.
Algunos de los personajes provienen de México, como es el caso de Gabriela Menchaca, una chica especializada en desplumar pollos. Un trabajo mentalmente agotador por la crueldad del mismo.
Ella y su novio Edwin Saucedo, deben 3 meses de su alquiler en un parque de caravanas. Ambos trabajan en Detmer Foods y les deben 50.000 dólares, pero Gaby no cree que los podrá recibir. En el trabajo ni siquiera le permitían ir al baño y no podía tomar agua, esto hizo que perdiera un bebé.
Una vez Edwin se presentó 2 minutos tardes en el trabajo y fue despedido por el jefe tirano: Luke Jackson. Edwin es el secuestrador de Tucker, un bebé de 6 meses del gerente de la planta.
Edwin exige un rescate de 50.000 dólares por devolverlo sano y salvo. Le explica a Jackson que no podrá llamar a la policía, de lo contrario no responde por sus actos.
Luke tiene miedo de que las cosas escalan entonces no acude a la policía. Además tiene miedo de perder su ascenso a director ejecutivo. Pero le confiesa a su esposa Mimi lo sucedido. Ella está segura que el hombre que ha despedido es la mente detrás del secuestro.
Aunque la historia comienza muy fuerte, se desinfla un poco al final. Ya que Mimi se entera de la infidelidad de su esposo. Mimi y Gabriela se unen al enterarse que ambas han sido víctimas de los hombres que aman. Quizás este sería un mensaje feminista que podría mosquear a más de uno, en donde las chicas parecen las buenas y los hombres los tiranos.
Los personajes son muy similares a los clichés del género. El inmigrante que no tiene nada y que hace lo posible por sobrevivir, incluso si esto es ilegal. La chica mexicana abusada por ese patriarcado tan marcado de una sociedad podrida. La esposa que descubre la infidelidad.
En general es un libro entretenido, y la historia engancha al principio. Pero como dije anteriormente el final es un poco forzado. Quizás el autor quiso proyectar la duda del bien y el mal en un mundo real, donde no todo es blanco y negro. Aún así me parece un 3/5 porque en ningún momento me sentí abrumado y la forma de narrar es bastante sencilla y agradable. Muchas menciones a Johnny Cash y su canción Ring of Fire. Esto ambienta bastante el panorama.
Una frase muy de izquierda:"Toda fortuna, incluso una pequeña, se construye sobre la base de algún gran pecado".
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February 13, 2025This had the potential to be a really cool social commentary thriller, but ended up being a frustrating soap opera due to poor character development.
This story follows two couples. One couple are undocumented workers in a chicken processing plant, and the husband of the other couple is the plant manager. The conditions at the plant are awful, the guy gets fired, and he seeks revenge/justice.
I’ll start with a positive: The pacing of the book is great. It’s fast-paced and action-packed throughout the entirety. So I was engaged the whole time … but I was not enjoying myself.
My biggest issue was the characters. Every single one is unlikeable and makes horrible decisions, but it goes beyond that — they’re poorly developed to the point of being soap opera caricatures. It made the whole book feel unrealistic, bordering on ridiculous. None of the characters’ actions made any sense, it was so frustrating. Even the dialogue was unrealistic and at times straight up cringey.
The premise of the book has so much potential for insightful social commentary about undervalued work and people in this country, but the execution wasn’t there. At times the author hits you over the head with the message instead of letting the story do the talking, and by making all the characters unlikeable and unrealistic it almost undermines the message?
Between the awful characters and the fact that there’s a baby in distress the entire book, this was a seriously unenjoyable read for me.
This story follows two couples. One couple are undocumented workers in a chicken processing plant, and the husband of the other couple is the plant manager. The conditions at the plant are awful, the guy gets fired, and he seeks revenge/justice.
I’ll start with a positive: The pacing of the book is great. It’s fast-paced and action-packed throughout the entirety. So I was engaged the whole time … but I was not enjoying myself.
My biggest issue was the characters. Every single one is unlikeable and makes horrible decisions, but it goes beyond that — they’re poorly developed to the point of being soap opera caricatures. It made the whole book feel unrealistic, bordering on ridiculous. None of the characters’ actions made any sense, it was so frustrating. Even the dialogue was unrealistic and at times straight up cringey.
The premise of the book has so much potential for insightful social commentary about undervalued work and people in this country, but the execution wasn’t there. At times the author hits you over the head with the message instead of letting the story do the talking, and by making all the characters unlikeable and unrealistic it almost undermines the message?
Between the awful characters and the fact that there’s a baby in distress the entire book, this was a seriously unenjoyable read for me.
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